Arrangement for collecting material and removing it perpendicularly to its longitudinal direction

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for collecting and transporting articles which includes article receiving means that has bottom support arms which are movable between an article supporting position and an article discharging position. A releasable locking means permits the selective locking of the support arms in their article supporting position. A transport carriage is provided which is movable in a generally horizontal direction from a position directly below the article receiving means to an article unloading position. The carriage has a vertically adjustable platform with a means which is effective when the platform is raised to a predetermined height relative to the article receiving means to release the locking means and thereby permit movement of the support arms to their article discharging position. In addition, a means on the carriage restores the support arms to their article supporting position upon movement of the carriage from its position directly below the article receiving means to its unloading position.

United States Patent Andersson [is] 3,655,073 [451 Apr. 11, 1972 [72}Inventor: Curt Erik Ingvar Andersson, Stora Tuna,

Sweden Kockum Soderhamn AB, Soderhamn, Sweden [22] Filed: Mar. 24, 1970[21] Appl.No.: 22,168

[73] Assignee:

[52] US. Cl. ..2l4/16 B, 209/74, 214/6 D [51] Int. Cl ..B65g 65/02 [58]Field ofSearch ..214/6 H,6D,42,43, 16B; 209/74 [56] References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS Primary Examiner-Richard A. Schacher AssistantExaminer-Gene A. Church Attorney-Sommers and Young [5 7] ABSTRACTApparatus for collecting and transporting articles which includesarticle receiving means that has bottom support arms which are movablebetween an article supporting position and an article dischargingposition. A releasable locking means permits the selective locking ofthe support arms in their article supporting position. A transportcarriage is provided which is movable in a generally horizontaldirection from a position directly below the article receiving means toan article unloading position. The carriage has a vertically adjustableplatform with a means which is effective when the platform is raised toa predetermined height relative to the article receiving means torelease the locking means and thereby permit movement of the supportarms to their article discharging position. In addition, a means on thecarriage restores the support arms to their article supporting positionupon movement of the carriage from its position directly below thearticle receiving means to its unloading position.

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PNENTEUAPR 11 m2 SHEET 4 [1F 5 6007 El, ANDERSSON PATENTEBAPR 11 I972SHEET 5 [IF 5 ARRANGEMENT FOR COLLECTING MATERIAL AND REMOVING ITPERPENDICULARLY TO ITS LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION This invention relates anarrangement for collecting material and automatically transporting itaway perpendicularly to its longitudinal direction from sorting means,for example drop sorting means, where the material is distributed todifferent boxes according to quality or dimension.

A plurality of different embodiments are previously known. These knownarrangements, however, usually comprise chains or carriages which when asufficient number of, for example, the planks have been sorted, forexample by drop sorting, transport them away in their longitudinaldirection to collecting boxes. These collecting boxes require apermanent control by a labour, and also the transport entirely orpartially is carried out manually. This transport in the longitudinaldirection of the material implies large space requirements and thecontinuous employment of trucks or the like.

The invention has as its object to produce a cheap and reliableconstruction, which saves labour and space.

An expedient embodiment of the invention is described in the following,with reference to the enclosed drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the collecting box and transportmeans,

FIG. 2 shows the transport means when it has arrived at a collecting boxto be emptied. The hoist brackets of the transport means are on theirway upwards for fetching the material in the box.

F IG. 3 shows how the hoist brackets of the transport means release oflocking means of the collecting box whereby the support arms of thecollecting box are hinged down, and the material in the box is supportedon the hoist brackets.

F lG. 4 shows the hoist brackets after they have moved down and thetransport means has been caused to travel to an unloading place. Thesupport arms of the collecting box are put into collecting position by arestoring wheel on the transport means and locked in the locking means.

F IG. 5 shows how the hoist brackets of the transport means place thematerial at the unloading place onto a lateral conveyor, for example.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the collecting box proper, and 2designates support arms of the collecting box which via the axle 3 arehinged to the collecting box 1. Said support arms 2 are locked incollecting position by the locking means 4 which is mounted to thecollecting box 1 via the axle 5 so as to be pivotal. Said locking means4 is so designed that subsequent to its actuation it always returns tolocking position. On said support arms 2 the material to be sorted, forexduring the travel of the transport means to the unloading place, forexample a lateral conveyor 13 (see FIG. 5), returns the support arms 2to collecting position where they are locked by the locking means 4. Thetransport means after having delivered the material 6 at the unloadingplace 13 is ready for fetching material from another collecting box.

What I claim is: 1. Apparatus for collecting and transporting articlescomprising in combination,

at least one article receiving means having bottom support arms whichare movable between a first article supporting position and a secondarticle discharging position, said article receiving means includingreleasable locking means for selectively locking said support arms insaid first position, a transport carriage movable in a generallyhorizontal direction from a first position below said article receivingmeans to a second unloadin position said carriage having a vertical y adustable loading platform having means effective when said platform israised to a predetermined height relative to said article receivingmeans to release said locking means and thereby permit movement of saidsupport arms to said second position, and further means on said carriagefor restoring said support arms to their said first position uponmovement of said carriage from its said first position to its saidsecond 1 position to thereby permit the locking of said support arms intheir first position by said locking means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 which further includes means for moving saidtransport carriage between its said first and second positions.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said further means on saidtransport carriage comprises wheels which during the travel of saidtransport carriage to said second unloading position engage said supportarms to return them to their first position.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said locking means is mounted tosaid article receiving means on a pivoted axle, said locking meanssubsequent to its actuation by said further means always returning toits said locking position.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said loading platform comprises aplurality of arms which are vertically adjustable.

22 3 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE QER'HHCATE F CREQTWN/ April 11,1972

Patent No. 3l655vo73 Dated Ihventofls) curt Erik Ingvar Andersson rs inthe above-identified patent It is certified that error appea bycorrected as shown below:

and that said Letters Patent are here Foreign Application Priority DateMarch 24, 1969 Sweden 7 I 4061/69 Signed and sealed this 221 '1d day ofAugust 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

ROBERT GOTTSCHALK H Commissioner of Patents EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR.Attesting Officer

1. Apparatus for collecting and transporting articles comprising incombination, at least one article receiving means having bottom supportarms which are movable between a first article supporting position and asecond article discharging position, said article receiving meansincluding releasable locking means for selectively locking said supportarms in said first position, a transport carriage movable in a generallyhorizontal direction from a first position below said article receivingmeans to a second unloading position, said carriage having a verticallyadjustable loading platform having means effective when said platform israised to a predetermined height relative to said article receivingmeans to release said locking means and thereby permit movement of saidsupport arms to said second position, and further means on said carriagefor restoring said support arms to their said first position uponmovement of said carriage from its said first position to its saidsecond position to thereby permit the locking of said support arms intheir first position by said locking means.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1which further includes means for moving said transport carriage betweenits said first and second positions.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 inwhich said further means on said transport carriage comprises wheelswhich during the travel of said transport carriage to said secondunloading position engage said support arms to return them to theirfirst position.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said locking meansis mounted to said article receiving means on a pivoted axle, saidlocking means subsequent to its actuation by said further means alwaysreturning to its said locking position.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 inwhich said loading platform comprises a plurality of arms which arevertically adjustable.